Sci-Fi Dune

[VictusMortuus]

Just saw this and I can’t remember the last time I was so absorbed into a movie. Absolutely loved it, like everything about it. 10/10 for me can’t wait to see part 2.

 

[The Shape]

Really enjoyed Dune and this is shaping up to be a great franchise adaption of the series. As was expected, it was amazing on the big screen. I'd assume that a great majority of people who have seen or will be seeing/watching Dune haven't read the books, and I'm excited for those people to have this new, original (to them) world to give in to. The movie is obviously going to be cool for fans, but also seems to be accessible for viewers who are new to this world without completely spoon-feeding every single thing to them.

As far as the film itself, it seems like many of the things people have complained about are things that I really liked about the film. For me, it was refreshing to see a "new" sci-fi epic that wasn't afraid to take itself seriously, focus on establishing a specific tone/atmosphere, and didn't feel the need to shove jokes or one liners down our throats every few minutes to keep things light. I appreciated many of those slower, quieter moments that still felt important and crucial to the overall narrative. Everything was gorgeous to look at.

I didn't mind that it was "slow" or felt long at times, because the film does a great job in terms of world building and setting up many of the pieces that will become important later on. I didn't mind that the film feels "incomplete" with its ending, either. I personally wish it could have continued on for another hour. So the film left me wanting more. They gave us enough to chew on in this first film, and left enough for a potentially stellar Part II follow up.

Musical score was questionable in some parts, but overall, I'm glad Denis was the one who was able to make this and I'm excited to see what he does next with Part II. Going to be a long wait...

 

[BobJM]

sequel casting…

Emperor Shaddam IV: Hugh Jackman, 53

Feyd-Rautha: Barry Keoghan, 29

Princess Irulan: Anya Taylor-Joy, 25

Alia Atreides: Violet McGraw, 10

 

[Weather Witch]

I was just gonna say that now that it's been officially greenlit, why would i or anyone else waste their time caring if Dune makes money or totally bombs? Part 2 is happening. So now it's just down to if rich ppl make money or not lol. Which is far from my concern.

The more money those rich people make, the more content, merch, games etc. we're likely to get though.

 

[TheVileOne]

I think the day and date model is horse manure, but as long as they deliver Part 2, I won't complain too much.

 

[shauner111]

The Emperor should be Fassbender or Bale. Irulan should be Comer, Anya or Pugh. Feyd should be Keoghan. I haven’t even read the book

 

[TheVileOne]

Fassbender would've been a better Duncan Idaho IMO. Not the Emperor. The Emperor should be a man in his 50s at least.

 

[Sithborg]

The more money those rich people make, the more content, merch, games etc. we're likely to get though.

The movie convinced the estate to loosen up the licensing rights. I was able to get a new version of the classic 80's Dune board game, so no matter what, I am extremely happy with the outcome.

Fassbender would've been a better Duncan Idaho IMO. Not the Emperor. The Emperor should be a man in his 50s at least.

Nah, Fassbender is not a good Idaho.

Granted, the Idaho part was always compromised, as the supposed sexiest man in the cast has to compete with Oscar Isaac in a beard.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Fassbender would've been a better Duncan Idaho IMO. Not the Emperor. The Emperor should be a man in his 50s at least.

Herbert describes The Emperor as only looking 35 despite his great age due to massive amounts of spice use

 

[Mysteryman]

A -62% drop isn't that bad considering the day-and-date release format. Most other WB films this year had more than 70% decline.

It doesn't necessarily matter in the short-term of this franchise but in the age of superheroes, Star Wars, Transformers and Family Dom-inating everything it's good to see some quality blockbuster like this doing well. The more it makes the better the chances for more films like this in the future.

Box office ALWAYS matters.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Yeah, that's why we never talk about Citizen Kane or Blade Runner anymore.

 

[TheVileOne]

Herbert describes The Emperor as only looking 35 despite his great age due to massive amounts of spice use

So someone like Hugh Jackman would be a much better choice.

 

[Eddie Dean]

Fassbender looks closer to 35 than Jackman does???

 

[TheVileOne]

Fassbender looks closer to 35 than Jackman does???

Yes

 

[Eddie Dean]

I'm confused

 

[Mysteryman]

Yeah, that's why we never talk about Citizen Kane or Blade Runner anymore.

When I talk about Blade Runner, it is only to praise 2049.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Welcome to Dune. Where the relationships are ****ed up. In the novel, you would be fine if you were mistaken that Gurney was more of a father figure than Leto to Paul.

This movie will not hold your hand. You have to be able to pick up a lot of subtle cues from what we are given. We are not given the extremely long inner monologues like Lynch did.

Hand holding would be something at least.

Which the above... I am sorry but that all feels like weak tea as a defense of the film's lack of relatable or even simply interesting characterization or relationships which, it had more than ample time to develop. Or make an attempt to engage me with the philosophies or POVs that motivate these characters which were shaped by their universe's history.

Would that what you said, an apparently more distant relationship with Leto with Gurney jockeying in Paul's mind as a mentor and father figure... Bring it on. It would be a way of giving Paul some kind of interesting and defined beyond just boilerplate inner conflict. If that was even an intention because I don't see that particularly established because it doesn't seem like anything in any scene really hints or indicates this, so if this thematically is supposed to be an aspect true to the books then the film failed to convey it.

I'm far from lost in terms of the characters or plot as this is something that is well known in both broad strokes as well as specific plot, character and thematic elements. I know on paper what the general mechanics of what is happening, did before I watched it. That doesn't mean despite that prior info that the film fails to get across anything of substance without in my opinion an excess of audience projection onto characters or actions.

Also "show don't tell" kinda breaks down when what you are shown doesn't tell you much if anything. The lone standout in this is Ferguson as Jessica who unfortunately gives so much she appears as emotionally fragile and easily shaken as Lambert from ALIEN. Understanding that the character does not have any inner monologue we are instead treated to Jessica seeming borderline unhinged most the time without any through line beyond "worrying". She seems the one character allowed to emote and she seems always virtually on the edge of a nervous breakdown. I don't get much of a sense of her beyond that no matter the scene. So the film gives me long stretches of nothing but what is obviously intended as portent but which just comes off glacial both in pacing but also in its cool opaqueness with regards to characters and relationships with Ferguson exploding with her barely held desperation every so often and after nearly three hours it all is just this prologue apparently with more nebulous development to come.

The film's lack of both emotional connection along with an absurd amount of "subtly" in conveying plot, themes or just who a character is... That is not a good calculus for engaging me as a viewer especially when outside of spectacular production values I am left adrift to both ponder or care about anything presented that is being given obvious focus. There's no tether to getting me involved that is not produced by Han Zimmer's score, which as great as it is, should not be the part of the film doing all the heavy lifting in regards to evoking any kind of emotional response. Be part of it but when the music tells me so hard to feel or even think one thing and what I am seeing is just inert, well no amount of sound design or French horns can save it.

 

[DKDetective]

The Emperor should be Fassbender or Bale. Irulan should be Comer, Anya or Pugh. Feyd should be Keoghan. I haven’t even read the book

Herbert describes The Emperor as only looking 35 despite his great age due to massive amounts of spice use

While Herbert does describe Shaddam as looking 35, despite being 70, I think it is hard for an actor only 35 to truly pull off the gravitas of a character of that age and station. We also need to remember that people are already aging much slower than they did during Herbert's generation.

With that in mind, Ewan McGregor is my pick. He looks much younger than his age, he is great in villainous roles, and he can pull off that presence. Fassbender and Bale both look a little rough for their ages due to their body transformations for roles.

Pugh is completely wrong for Irulan. Irulan is described as tall, thin, blonde, fair, with a haughty air to her. She is meant to be a physical contrast to short, elfin, and down to earth Chani, who is practical and less regal.

Elizabeth Debicki is basically perfect for Irulan. She is supposed to older than Paul and Chani as well.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Turn about is fair play, no?

 

[Protagonist]

They should cast Lee Pace as the emperor, dude looks great in the foundation.

 

[OutOfBoose]

I want them to surprise me with the casting of remaining characters.

 

[Mjolnir Reborn]

Paul is not the only character.

I only need to use one example from one character to disprove the statement that the film has no character development, as that is what you said.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

It's not really possible to "admit" that for a film that even ends on an unusual note because the choice was to use character development as the climax, with Paul having been driven to actively choosing to take a path that he knows could lead to a terrible future that he feared before.

The fear of this future is like... A minute and a half or so of screen time when he's in the tent with his mother no?

We were like... 2 hours and 30 minutes into the film by that point, no?

THAT'S when this alleged development occurs for Paul?

In the middle of the finale?

 

[Mjolnir Reborn]

The fear of this future is like... A minute and a half or so of screen time when he's in the tent with his mother no?

We were like... 2 hours and 30 minutes into the film by that point, no?

THAT'S when this alleged development occurs for Paul?

In the middle of the finale?

No, as you can see in the post before yours it's just an example to disprove a silly statement. Of course there is more, even with his skepticism and fear towards what the Bene Gesserit has done as that starts early in the film, when he's not as assertive. I'm not going to try to convince anyone that didn't like it to like the film though, that just is what it is.

 

[Lily Adler]

While Herbert does describe Shaddam as looking 35, despite being 70, I think it is hard for an actor only 35 to truly pull off the gravitas of a character of that age and station. We also need to remember that people are already aging much slower than they did during Herbert's generation.

With that in mind, Ewan McGregor is my pick. He looks much younger than his age, he is great in villainous roles, and he can pull off that presence. Fassbender and Bale both look a little rough for their ages due to their body transformations for roles.

Pugh is completely wrong for Irulan. Irulan is described as tall, thin, blonde, fair, with a haughty air to her. She is meant to be a physical contrast to short, elfin, and down to earth Chani, who is practical and less regal.

Elizabeth Debicki is basically perfect for Irulan. She is supposed to older than Paul and Chani as well.

Christopher Robin as a villain?